Is Pride of America really Freestyle?

[S'WELL]

Sailed on 3/24/07-4/01/07. Have been on the Dream and the Sun for comparison. Arrived on the ship around 1pm. Asked if the dining room was still open for lunch. Was told no. Checked and found out it was open. Had an enjoyable lunch before we were cleared to go to our rooms. This should have tipped me off that I shouldn't assume based upon past experiences on the Dream and Sun. During the week we were constantly challenged to find a food venue open during the afternoon hours to enjoy what we wanted when we wanted it. A dining room was open for lunch only 2 of the days we were on ship. The day we arrived and the day we left port at 2pm. The indoor and outdoor buffets were on a significantly different schedule than I remember from past cruises. Indoor 5:30-10:00 am, Noon-2:30 pm and 6-9 pm. The outdoor only served 7:30-11:30 am.

Should you choose to have a meal served to you by a server from 9am until 5 pm there was one choice. The Cadillac diner. The only other venue open between 2:30 and 5pm was the Key West grill which is a walk up open air burger-dog plus place. Several times we weren't able to have the sit down lunch with a varied menu because we chose to eat after 2:30.

In my opinion, and from my memory of the food venues available on other NCL ships the Pride of America is NOT as Freestyle.

 

PS no chilled soups at dinner, only one I found was at lunch in the dining room

[PDAZ]

I missed the chilled soup too! It's something I never have at home but always look forward to on cruises.

 

Your post illustrates why so many of us differentiate between NCL and NCLA -- very different cruise experiences! With such a port intensive schedule, they really don't anticipate many people being onboard during the day so food options are limited. We weren't anywhere near the ship during the days when we were in port so our lunch experience was limited to the day we cruised by the Napali coast. I actually think you're missing out on the point of taking this cruise if you go back to the ship for lunch -- there's so much to do and see in Hawaii!

 

There are several dining options for dinner though -- for us, this justified the "freestyle" label. How was your cruise otherwise?

[S'WELL]

The ports were great, the advice on CC allowed us to prepare for the differences between NCL and NCLA. Our previous experience with freestyle set me up to expect the same range of dining venues as we had experienced before. I had not read any comments that the hours of operations were so different from what I had remembered as being available on the Dream and Sun. I also expected the chilled soups to be available since this had been mentioned as "on the menu" when the new menus were added.

We did take advantage of the port intensive criuse. Rented a car in all the ports but Kona. I was just commenting that when we did return to the ship we found very few dining venues open during some of the times we were trying to eat, which gave this cruise a different "feel" than our other freestyle cruises.

[newmexicoNita]

As said, this illistrates the difference in NCL and NCLA but I do want to add; normally dining rooms are not open for lunch on port days and there are many port days as you know on the Hawaiian itineraries. This may have had something to do with your concerns.

 

NMNita

[PDAZ]

I have to admit, watching those NCL commercials with everyone checking their watches -- it does make it seem like NCL offers several dining options whenever you feel like eating -- not exactly true since the dining rooms have set hours.

[Don Haynes]

This is an American flagged ship using American crews under American labor laws. Considering the overtime pay over 40 hours a work week, I wonder what other cruise lines would do if fthey had to pay their employees American wages.

 

Frankly, I think NCLA is doing a very good job feeding everyone. No one is going hungry on their American flagged ships.

 

Freestyle didn't consider American labor laws.

[judyf]

Thanks for sharing your info. Good to know beofre we book.

 

Thanks

[newmexicoNita]

I have to admit, watching those NCL commercials with everyone checking their watches -- it does make it seem like NCL offers several dining options whenever you feel like eating -- not exactly true since the dining rooms have set hours.

of course they have set hours, your favorite local restaurant does as well. Would you expect to go to any of the restaurants 24 hours a day? It is still freestyle and yes, you can find something to eat no matter what time or the day or night. As for hours; the main and specialty dining rooms are open from 5:30 to 10pm for dinner plus lunch hours, buffet, Blue Lagoon,etc. It is the best of the dining world. NMNita

[S'WELL]

Just finished doing some searching. From recent dailies posted if I would have been on the Dawn or the Pearl a sit down dining room was open for lunch every day, even port days. My original comments were meant to compare and contrast the fewer choices available on NCLA as compared to NCL.

[PDAZ]

of course they have set hours, your favorite local restaurant does as well. Would you expect to go to any of the restaurants 24 hours a day? It is still freestyle and yes, you can find something to eat no matter what time or the day or night. As for hours; the main and specialty dining rooms are open from 5:30 to 10pm for dinner plus lunch hours, buffet, Blue Lagoon,etc. It is the best of the dining world. NMNita

 

Most land restaurants open around 10 and stay open all day. I wouldn't expect that on a cruise ship but the commercials can lead you to believe that NCL offers dining whenever you want. True, you can find food 24 hours a day -- room service or fast food -- but not dining. It's not a big deal for me because I know what to expect, but I can see why others may be grumpy about it. If they want to have a full service lunch at 3 pm, they're out of luck -- at least on the Pride of Aloha.

[sunshine 229]

As for hours; the main and specialty dining rooms are open from 5:30 to 10pm for dinner plus lunch hours, buffet, Blue Lagoon,etc. It is the best of the dining world. NMNita

 

The best of the dinning world? :rolleyes:

 

I think you are obviously a fan of NCL and NCLA, but seriously, don't you think that maybe a bit of an overstatement?

[Cosmopolitan]

The best of the dinning world? :rolleyes: quote]

 

???dinning - a loud, confused noise; a continued loud or tumultuous sound; noisy clamor.

 

dining -

to eat the principal meal of the day; have dinner. to take any meal.

:confused:

 

I believe most of us "dine" on the ship...perhaps you "din"? :)